Locomotive toy.



m. 693,374. Pa tented' Feb. 18, 1902.

' D. P. CLARK. L0'00l0'1'IVE'TOY.-

(Application filed Sept. 2'7; 1900.) -(No Model.) 2 Sheath-Shoat l.

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. Pa-ienteul Feb. 13,1902] ,nL'P. CLARK.

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(Applicntion filed Sept. 27, 1900.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID P. CLARK, OF DAYTON. OHIO.

LOCOMOTIVE TOY.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 693,374, dated February 18, 1902. Application filed September 27,1900. Serial No. 31,218. (No model.)

T0 on whom at may concern; Y

Be it known that I, DAVIDYP. CLAEigacitizen of the United States, residing at Dayton,

in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive Toys, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. i

This invention relates to locomotive toys, and. more particularly to that class of such toys in which an inertia-wheel is employed to impart motion to the running or ground Wheels of the toy, an illustration of this class of apparatus being found in Letters Patent No. 593,174, granted November 2, 1897, and of which -I am now the owner- The present invention has for its object to simplify the construction and improve'the efficiency of toys of this character; and to this end my invention consists in certain novel features which-I will now proceed to describe and Will then particularly point out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the operative parts of a toy embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and showing the parts in another position. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through one of the bearings of the inertiawheel axle.

In carrying out my invention I employ a two-part frame composed of two sections 1 and 2, which are pivotal'ly or otherwise fiexi-' bly connected with each other, so as to be capable of movement relatively to each other. In the present instance the frame-section 1 consists of a U-shaped piece, to the lateral arms of which the section 2 is pivoted near its front end, as indicated at 3. The framesection 1 carries the inertia-wheel and its axle, while the frame-section 2 carries the ground-wheels or running-wheels, which are actuated thereby. In the present instance I have shown the section 1 as being provided with a transverse axle 4, on the ends of which are mounted ground-wheels 5. The section 2 is similarly provided near its rear end with an axle t, on which are mounted ground or running wheels 7. These wheels may, if desired, be spaced apart by a loose sleeve 8 on the axle 7.

QiHdicates the inertia-wheel, which is, as usual, of considerable weight and which is secured on an axle 10, having its bearings in the side members of the frame-section 1. These bearings are preferably ball-bearings, as shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings, which illustrates a simple and effective form of bearin g for the purpose. 7 In this construction each end'of the axle is'reduced, as shown at 11, thereby forming a shoulder 12, which limits the endmotion of the axle. A bearing-plate 13 is secured to the outer face of each lateral arm of the frame 1, and the raceway 14 for the balls is formed by counterbor-- ing the aperture 15 in said plate at the meeting-point of the apertures 15 and 16, through said .respective parts, formed to receive the end of the axle.

It will be noted that theaxle 10 of the inertia-wheel normally bears upon the peripheries of the running-wheels 7, being held in contact therewith by the weight of the frame 1 and of the inertia wheel and its axle. It will also be noted that the locationof the parts is such that downward pressure upon the frame-section 1 will force the inertia-wheel axle against the running-wheels at a comparatively acute angle, so that a wedging or biting action between said axle and wheels is obtained, and a much more efficient frictional contact results than is the case where the line of movement of the inertia-wheel axle is radial with respect to the wheels against which it bears By reason of this construction a much more efficient contact between the parts is obtained and I am enabled not only to impart a greater velocity to the inertia-wheel while the toy is being prepared for operation, but also to obtain a much longer operative period and a higher initial speed when the toy is released for automatic operation. Theseresults are further aided by the employment of ball-bearings for supporting the inertia-wheel and its axle, as it is evident that in toys of this description the slightest retarding-friction seriously affects the efficiency of the device.

The toy is operated in the usual and wellknown manner by exerting pressure downward upon the frame-section l and moving the toy rapidly and forcibly over a suitable surface until the desired momentum has been imparted to the inertia-wheel, so that when the toy is released said Wheel will in turn impart its motion to the running-wheels, and thereby cause the toy to move over any suitable surface on which it may be placed for a considerable period of time and over a considerable distance.

It will be understood, of course, that only the operative locomotive parts of the toy are shown in the accompanying drawings and that the framework there appearing may serve as a supporting means for a toy-vehicle body or any other suitable device.

WVhile I have shown each of the frame-sections as provided with a pair of running- Wheels, it is obvious that my invention is not restricted to such a construction. The device may also be modified as to other of its features without departing from the principle of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself strictly to the precise details hereinbefore described, and shown in the drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A locomotive toy comprising a two-part frame, one section of which is provided with running-wheels at its front end and with an inertia-wheel and its axle mounted therein rearward of said running-wheels, the other section being pivoted at its front end to the first mentioned section and having rearward thereof running-wheels mounted on it, the axle of the inertia-wheel lying between the two pairs of running-Wheels, whereby pressure on the frame will cause said axle to press at an angle on the rims of the running-Wheels of the last-mentioned section, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID P. CLARK.

XVitnesses:

B. BLACKBURN ES'IERLINE, IRVINE MILLER. 

